


Time Enough

by farad



Category: Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-01
Updated: 2012-07-01
Packaged: 2017-11-08 23:37:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/448815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/farad/pseuds/farad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Daybook prompt: Gloria Potter - and then Mr. Conklin came courting . . .</p>
<p>Thanks to the wonderful Randi for creating the Delicious.com Daybook prompt list!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Ub-beta-ed - all mistakes my own.

"Perhaps I could come for dinner one night?"

 

Gloria stared across the counter, certain that she wasn't hearing properly. "I'll – I'll – why, Mr. Conklin - "

 

Mr. Conklin leaned closer, smiling at her – or that was what she thought he was doing. It looked more like he was in pain, which perhaps he was; his face was probably so unaccustomed to the expression that he was causing himself some sort of damage. "Call me Eustice," he said, as if gifting her with the finest of compliments.

 

She swallowed, unable to get her mouth to form the word, much less her brain to consider the possibility.

 

She was saved from any response at all by the timely opening of the door. "Gloria?" a familiar voice called. "Did you get in that cloth I ordered?"

 

"Nettie!" Gloria called out in answer, even though the word came out at a pitch of such height that it made even her own ears hurt. "Thank goodness – I mean," she amended hastily as she saw Conklin frown, "thank goodness you asked about that. I couldn't for the life of me remember who I'd gotten that for." It was a lie, about as bald-faced as she'd ever made, so much so that Nettie's eyebrows rose up under her hat, but she was standing behind Conklin – and she saw him straighten up, putting his hat back on his head.

 

Nettie glanced from him to Gloria and back, and Gloria saw the calculations rush behind those bright old eyes. "Why, Mr. Conklin," Nettie said, easing up to stand next to the counter. "I didn't mean to interrupt. You go right on and finish your business, I'll be fine waiting right here." She reached out and patted his hand familiarly, a move that Gloria knew was meant to irritate him.

 

And it did. He stiffened and drew a step away, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I was just taking my leave," he said, nodding to her before he turned to Gloria. "I'll stop back by later," he said, trying to smile again, and making it seem even more like a threat.

 

"Good day," Gloria said, trying for her own smile and not quite finding it. It was only as the door closed behind him, the little bell tinkling pleasantly, that she let herself relax.

 

"Trouble?" Nettie asked, looking back from the closed door.

 

"He's trying to invite himself to dinner," she said with a sigh.

 

Nettie frowned, pushing her hat back on her head. "That seems rude, even for him," she said.

 

Gloria sighed again, then turned to the shelves on the counter behind her, finding the bolt of cloth. It was a pretty green and blue gingham, a nice weight that could serve most of the year round. As she put it on the counter in front of Nettie, she said, "It's my own fault. I guess I used the 'I have to cook dinner for the children' one time too many when he asked me to dinner at the restaurant."

 

Nettie looked up from where she was feeling the cloth. "He's been courting you for a while, then?"

 

Gloria shook her head, more in frustration than as an answer. "He's got it in his head that our businesses go so well together that we could do well joining together in other ways."

 

Nettie snorted. "He runs a lumber company," she said. "How does that fit in with a general mercantile – you don't even sell hammers and nails, not since Watkins came to town."

 

Gloria smiled despite herself. "No, I suspect it has more to do with him being a friend of Liam's. He's mentioned that he feels honor-bound to look out for me and the children – and for all his faults, I think he really does."

 

Nettie shook her head but she didn't argue. Instead, she said, "Do you want him courting you?"

 

The very idea of it made Gloria clutch the counter, her knuckles white.

 

"That's what I thought," Nettie said with a nod. "Then just tell him," she said.

 

Gloria shook her head. "I can't. He's a good man – well, he it so me and the children. Peter's actually going to work with him this summer, to learn the trade. I don't want to hurt his feelings, and I surely don't want to make him angry with me."

 

Nettie sighed but nodded. "Then perhaps you should tell him that you're just not ready yet. It hasn't been that long since Liam was killed. It took me – well, it's taking me decades to get past Walter's death."

 

Gloria looked at her, not quite sure how to respond. In all the years she'd known Nettie, she'd never had the sense that there was a great passion between her and her late husband.

 

Nettie caught her gaze and grinned. "I didn't say past Walter. He was a good man, and we got on well enough, but I haven't felt the need to replace him. I do just fine on my own, despite what many of the men-folk seem to think." She reached out and patted Gloria's hand. "You will too, if that's the way you want it."

 

Gloria nodded, thinking that that was what she wanted. Until the door of the shop opened again and a new voice called out, "Mrs. Gloria? Nathan wants to know if you have any more washing powder."

 

"Coming right up, Josiah," she said moving down the counter to a bin that she kept in one corner. "How much does he need – no one's hurt, I hope?"

 

"Ms. Nettie," Josiah said, nodding to Nettie as he joined her at the counter. He was hatless, yet he seemed to have forgotten as he made to reach for it, only realizing its absence when his hand was near his head and it wasn't there.

 

"Josiah," Nettie answered back with a nod and a smile.

 

"He said the usual amount will do," Josiah answered Gloria's question as she picked up her measuring scoop and a brown paper bag. "He's particular about his bandages, and today is washing day, bandages and all"

 

"He's a good man, that one," Nettie said. "This town should be proud to have him."

 

Josiah smiled at her. "That he is, ma'am," he agreed. "That he is."

 

"Seems it was a good day when all seven of you got here," Nettie went on, and even though she was looking at her bolt of cloth again, Gloria had the distinct impression that she, too, was being watched. She finished measuring the washing powder into the bag and replaced the lid on the bin before stepping back to the counter. She folded down the excess paper, reaching for the twine to tie the bag closed, but Josiah's big hand fell lightly over hers, stopping her.

 

"No need to waste the twine," he said with a smile, his light blue eyes almost grey in the sunlight. "We're going to be using it as soon as I get back to the wash bucket with it."

 

"You're helping?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

 

Josiah chuckled, a low rumble that made her feel warm. "Me, Vin, and JD, yes, ma'am. Washing day for the bandages and the sheets and the other things in the clinic. Of course, we could always stand a lady's touch, anytime you have time to offer advice." He smiled, and Gloria smiled, staring at him.

 

"I reckon they'd be more than happy to have more helping hands, too," Nettie added, but she was smiling. "So maybe I'll go along and see how this pack of men do at the cleaning. Gloria, can you put this on my bill?"

 

"Of course," Gloria said, but she didn't move, Josiah's hand still resting warmly on hers.

 

"Ma'am," he said after a few seconds, lifting his hand and nodding to her. "And you can put this one - "

 

"Also on mine," Nettie said, breaking in. "I'll tell Nathan to deduct it from what I owe him for that visit out to the farm last week. Saved one of my dogs from having to be put down." She gathered up her cloth and started for the door, calling over her shoulder, "Gloria, you coming to watch this show with me?"

 

Gloria looked after her. It was a temptation, but she had things to do and Annabelle was upstairs with her studies, and -

 

"Casey's outside," Nettie called. "She can watch the store – better than having her and JD arguing about the best way to do whatever it is that neither of them know squat about doing."

 

Josiah chuckled again, looking at Gloria. "You'd be doing us a kindness," he said, bowing slightly. "We'll end up saving more water and soap powder without the two of them throwing it all over each other – and anyone standing near."

 

She smiled back at him, her hands already untying her apron even though she hadn't actually made up her mind.

 

"You'd best leave that on," Josiah said, opening the gate so she could step out from behind the counter. "Reckon we all get a little carried away with the splashing." He held out an arm to her, leading her out the door and onto the boardwalk where Casey was leaning against the rail, sighing as Nettie looked at her.

 

But she was polite as Gloria thanked her for minding the store, promising to be back soon.

 

"Ladies," Josiah said, taking Gloria's arm again as they stepped off the boardwalk and started toward the clinic. He offered an arm to Nettie, but Nettie seemed not to see it. Instead, she called out loudly, "Why, Mr. Conklin, you're back already?"

 

Gloria tightened her grip on Josiah's arm as she saw the other man coming toward them, staring at her. For a few seconds, she was uncomfortable, worried, even, until Nettie said, "Casey's in the store, you go on and get what you need. Lovely day for a stroll, isn't it?"

 

Beside Gloria, Josiah said easily, "Why, it most certainly is, isn't it."

 

Gloria smiled up at him as they walked past the other man, and out into the bright, clear day. No lies in any of that, and if Mr. Conklin drew some ideas from what he saw, well, that was his own fault. She was just on her way to do some washing.


End file.
